Across the region

SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Authorities have obtained warrants for the mother of a 7-year-old Spartanburg County girl who died after being thrown from a sport utility vehicle after a police chase on Interstate 85.

Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright said the warrants list a number of charges against 26-year-old Errika Shelton, including failure to stop for ablue light resulting in death and unlawful neglect of a child.

The chase topped 100 mph before the SUV struck a guardrail and overturned in the median, ejecting the girl. Coroner Rusty Clevenger says Queniya died at a local hospital at 7:20 p.m. Tuesday.

Shelton was the driver, and remains hospitalized after suffering broken bones.

Agency identifies Boeing malfunction

CHARLESTON, S.C. — The National Transportation Safety Board says a fan shaft failed on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner engine during a taxi test at Charleston International Airport.

The investigation into the failure of the engine on July 28 is ongoing. The engine was built by General Electric.

NTSB investigators last week went to a GE plant in Cincinnati where the engine was built to examine it. They found that a mid-shaft fractured and the shaft is undergoing detailed study and metallurgical inspections to determine why.

Investigators are also looking at manufacturing and assembly records for the engine.

Debris from the engine fell on the runway. A small fire ignited, forcing the Charleston airport to shut down briefly.

Man drowns trying to retrieve float

ANDERSON, S.C. — Authorities say a 47-year-old man drowned Monday in Lake Hartwell as he tried to retrieve his grandson’s float, which had drifted away.

The Anderson County Coroner’s Office said James McClain went under as he swam toward the float and did not resurface.

Authorities say McClain was at the lake with his wife and grandson, and they were trying to get out of the water when the float got away.

Divers found McClain’s body in about 8 feet of murky water about three hours after he disappeared.

Authorities say it was the third drowning in the Singing Pines Recreation Area of Lake Hartwell this year and the first of two drownings in about eight hours on the man-made lake.

Sports says the problem stems from the state’s inability to access the national drivers registry.

Officials check the registry to see whether people trying to get Georgia driver’s licenses have outstanding tickets in other states.

V.J. Fuller of Marietta says she had to wait more than four hours to renew her license at the Canton Road office.

Driver’s license offices are open Tuesday through Saturday. Services can also be accessed online.

Official to probe Fulton elections

ATLANTA — Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp says his office has launched an investigation into Fulton County’s election procedures.

State elections officials want to know whether the county’s performance was poor enough to throw off some of the final results from the July 31 primary.

“I wouldn’t restrict it or limit it to any race at this point,” said Kemp spokesman Jared Thomas, who declined to elaborate.

Kemp has expressed concerns about what he called “numerous and substantial issues” surrounding the administration of the election in the metro Atlanta county.

County authorities have said some delays were caused by the process of counting early ballots, or votes that were cast before election day.

About 690 voters in Sandy Springs and southeast Atlanta were assigned a wrong state Senate or state House race last week, but Fulton County officials say the errors weren’t enough to change the outcome of any races.

However, a losing candidate in the Fulton County sheriff’s race thinks the problems go deeper and has requested a recount.

“There’s so many discrepancies in the numbers, it’s pitiful,” former Sheriff Richard Lankford said.